Dares Govt for debate on Jagan empty promises

Lokesh decries 'injustice' to tribals in Polavaram packages

Visits Rampachodavaram, Indukur, Pedavempalli

Polavaram a problem of not just tribals but of 5 crore Andhras

No facilities, not even drinking water in evacuees' colonies

RAMPACHODAVARAM/AMARAVATI (prajaamaravati): TDP National General Secretary and MLC Nara Lokesh on Wednesday asserted that the AP's lifeline irrigation project of Polavaram was not just a problem of 1.90 lakh tribal evacuees but a much bigger issue that would change the destiny of all the 5 crore people of the State.

Mr. Lokesh challenged the Jaganmohan Reddy Government to come for a debate on the Chief Minister's betrayals and promises regarding the project oustees' packages. Minister Kanna Babu was talking about provocation of the tribal families but not about the failed promises. The TDP was fully prepared to prove with videos how CM Jagan Reddy made a variety of empty promises on different occasion only to cheat the oustee families.

Mr. Nara Lokesh made a whirlwind tour of the Polavaram project affected areas in East Godavari on the second day. He spoke to the affected families and enquired about the problems of the tribal evacuees at Rampachodavaram, Indukur, Pedavempalli and Devipatnam areas.

In an interaction, the Indukur village oustees told Mr. Lokesh that the officials talked about release of Rs. 50 Cr of package for their resettlement. But not a singly family received single rupee till now. They were not even making public the list of evacuees who were eligible for the package. Even drinking water was not being supplied in the colonies of the Polavaram oustees. There were no burial grounds to do last rites for the deceased persons in the oustees' colonies.

Addressing tribals at Rampachodavaram, Mr. Nara Lokesh recalled that an all-party AP delegation started an agitation in Delhi in the past but the Jagan Reddy regime hurriedly released a GO to pay Rs. 10 lakh package to each family. However, that turned out to be an empty GO. Not a single family received Rs. 10 lakh. Like this, the Chief Minister was going on cheating and betraying tribals, non-tribals, backward classes and all sections of society.

Mr. Lokesh deplored that Andhra Pradesh became some sort of a mockery and laughing stock for CM Jagan Reddy. He shamelessly reneged on his promise of bending the necks of the Central leaders to get Special Category Status and crores of jobs to AP. However, he brought 'Special Status' liquor bottles only to loot more public money but never give jobs. In the same way, this Chief Minister would not complete Polavaram but he might bring 'Polavaram' liquor bottles to mock at the people.

Mr. Lokesh questioned the rationale behind the Jagan Reddy Government completing just 4 percent works on the lifeline Polavaram project till now. The YCP regime spent just Rs. 850 Cr in the past two and half years. Whereas, the previous Chandrababu regime spent Rs. 11,000 Cr during 2014-`19. Prior to him, over three Chief Ministers spent just Rs. 5,000 Cr. It was the TDP which gave a new direction to the dream project of Andhras.

Condemning the 'illtreatment' of tribals, Mr. Nara Lokesh said that the Adivasi villages were marooned and drowned because of the opening of the dam gates at 41.15 contour. Instead of preparing the tribal evacuees for this, the Government brought brutal force on them to vacate the affected villages. The situation was so pathetic in the evacuees' villages that the YSRCP Ministers were not even daring to visit them. The TDP would continue its fight for justice to the tribals and the agitation would continue till package was given to the last oustee family.

Mr. Lokesh called upon the tribals to join hand and rally together to bend the necks of the Chief Minister and his Ministers. There would surely be a big revolt in the tribal evacuees if the Government continued with its cheating in distribution of compensation packages. NTR brought self respect to tribals by forming the ITDA but this regime humiliated a tribal former MLA to squat in the PO's office.

Pedavempalli tribal evacuees told Mr. Lokesh that they were forcibly shifted to the resettlement colony after their houses were marooned in flood waters. They were living for three months there but no support and not even essential commodities were being given to them. They were not having work opportunities. Packages were not released despite many promised made by the officials. They were making rounds to the Government offices but to no avail.